Dana launches vigorous defense of Michael Vick
White launches vigorous defense of Vick Dana White, the Ultimate Fighting Championship’s outspoken president, made a vigorous defense of Philadelphia…
White launches vigorous defense of Vick
Dana White, the Ultimate Fighting Championship’s outspoken president, made a vigorous defense of Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Michael Vick on Thursday following a news conference to promote UFC 102.
Asked about fighter Chris Leben, who is returning from a steroids suspension to fight on Saturday’s card at the Rose Garden, White took the opportunity to passionately defend Vick, who returned to the NFL after serving 18 months of a 23-month sentence in prison for crimes involving dogfighting while he was with the Atlanta Falcons.
I hope Michael Vick wins the Super Bowl, makes $3 billion and is the greatest comeback story in the history of sports, man, White said. When are they going to stop crucifying this [expletive] guy?
This guy went to jail, OK? He went to jail. He lost all his money. What he did was terrible. The whole dog thing was terrible, but do you want to talk about a guy who has paid his [expletive] dues? Then he comes back and the NFL puts a suspension on him, too, after he gets out of jail.
I think the guy has taken it on the chin like a man. You haven’t seen him bitch about it. … He walks out of bankruptcy court this morning, because he has to pay creditors back $20 [expletive] million and he walks out smiling and he’s going to play tonight.
White said he felt anyone who committed a crime or any athlete who violated a league or athletic commission policy deserved to be punished. However, he said he has sympathy for the difficulties people go through after serving their penalties.
So he said he sees no reason why he should punish a fighter further once he returns from a commission-imposed steroids penalty. And he said society should be more sympathetic toward Vick.
He cited inequities in the penalties faced by Cleveland Browns receiver Donte’ Stallworth, who served 24 days in jail after a man he struck while driving drunk died and the penalty Vick was handed for his role in killing dogs.
He’s more than paid his dues, White said. There’s some football player who just killed somebody drinking and driving. He got 28 [expletive] days. He killed a human being. He got 28 days and the league suspended him for a year. What the [expletive]? Are you kidding me? Pretty crazy.
White said he admires the way Vick has handled himself under immense pressure since being released from jail and is rooting for Vick to win nine Super Bowl rings.
In regulated sports, or in society, you have to pay your dues, White said. You get in trouble, whatever society says you have to do, you have to do. Once you have paid that debt to society, leave me the [expletive] alone. Let me get back and do my thing. I have never seen anything as cruel.
More from the news conference:
PENN vs. SANCHEZ:
VIDEO BLOGS ON HOLD:
UFC-WEC MERGER?
NO SILVA-GSP SUPERFIGHT:
NEW LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT:
NO PROBLEM WITH STRIKEFORCE:
